Awatere Valley.

The 2007 tastes like a blend of Awatere and Wairau as it's slightly herbaceous whilst still having that classic tomato leaf flavour of Awatere.

Hints of guava and minerals too.

Very good.

2008 is a bit muted but still good.

Neither compare to Jackson Estate 2007...did you hear that Dunc...I said Neither compare to Jackson Estate 2007

Thank you Goose, I missed your posting last week ?. I know my Firewall blocks the red "new post" bottle, So I have to hunt thru the threads.

Yes - I will have to go to Sainsbury's and get the Jackson Est 2007. I can't do or find any Merchant deal on JE. I will have to drive out to Calcot where they have a JS Sava Centre.

Thanks again Goose . I will forget the Neill Culley & Esk Valley if I can get 2007 JE.

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Duncan

I picked up some JE '07 at lunch time, lm looking forward to trying this over the weekend.... in the middle of a field. Going camping this weekend.

btw- Duncan, is that you in your avatar?

Where did you get your JE ?

It is now £7.99 in Majestic for a 2 or more buy, 20% off New Zealand Offer. I want the vintage 2007, Maj are selling 2007 as well as 2008's -Goose says 2007's are the ones to head for.

Yes, that is the ole geezer, the very same, quite recently. Shall I delete the wretched avatar ? - Dunno - Please advise.

Cheers

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Duncan

I got mine from Sainsburys, £7.99

re avatar- no sir, leave it alone, it will help ward off the riff-raff.

I need a Viking helmet



I might then look a bit more useful. Enjoy the camping. I quite thought you'd take a meaty Rhone with you like a Gigondas, Don't forget, the delicate ones loose their breath outside. Do you have some ice ? Ok, an Ice pack will be taken in the car - Yeah, you're not going up Scar Fell Pike - Sorry.

I'm thinking about a Good Leaf day - bio dynamics and so forth. Normally wines tast better when I'm treated by a real gent. On the 14th A member of the Wine Society poured me two small glasses of Carrudes de Lafite 1996 - Now that was bl**dy dynamic -

I won't leave a tasting note - too many expletives, surfice to say that those basta*d Merchant Wan*ers have probably be drinking that wine every fortnight, whilst wrecking my, and millions of others personal pensions

Regrettably the 6 maturing Pauillacs or so that I have, will all taste like flabby tat or soap ! CdL has incredible architecture and amazing acidity with peppery cigar box & rich ripe prunus fruit flavours that I've rarely, if ever tasted - much more structure and concentration than Pavillion rouge

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Duncan

Coincidently I was planning to take the Les Brunnelles too.

It’s not looking good though, still raining around here, I would prefer a few days of dry weather prior to sticking up the tent. Postponed methinks.

Still, there's plenty to do on the lotty. My parsnips and carrots are through and my spuds are growing well, just need the frost to stay away.

Edited 30th April - This comparison of mine is utter rubbish, because it is years since I had the privelege of sipping Pavillion, the last one being a lesser 92 or 94 can't remember now, and before that, two bottles from the 80's, when jerks like me could just about manage to build the price into ones' yearly wine budget.
I am advised that the unique qualities of these 2nd wines of 1st growths has moved closer to the grand vin, I should shut it.

Further the Carrudes de Lafite was bought en primeur, stored by the WS in perfect conditions.

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Duncan

You are ahead of me. I have manured bean trenches - French and Runner climbers. My Toms in the greenhouse are very pale and *veinny in the cold, despite fleecing them at night.

*As in mosaic. I am trying too much to get in early. Mid April was confusing, now that temperatures and light have returned to English norms. Yeah, - work out the ankst (spelling) suffered for SB and PN growers in the Loire, etcetera

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Duncan